“I’ve never…been with a woman I’m interested in keeping.”
She blinks. “Keeping?”
I shrug. “No woman’s ever handed me her panties before.”
Which, of course, isn’t the reason I’m interested in keeping Sadie, but this is all new to me. I’m not sure exactly what to say.
The waitress delivers Sadie’s glass of red wine and she waits until the woman leaves before she speaks.
“That was a game for a bachelorette party. You can’t tell me guys don’t do dares or stupid things at bachelor parties.”
I scratch my temple. “All we do is see how trashed we can all get while ogling strippers. I liked the panty thing a hell of a lot better.”
“I bet you did.” She takes a sip of wine. “The panty thing isn’t a secret, though. I was there. I know about it.”
I study her, all light and bright and sweet. I want to mess her up so fucking bad. Get those lips swollen, see if her nipples match the color of her blush. Hell, I wonder if her pussy is just as pink.
“I said I’ve never done this before.That’sa secret. I’ve never wanted a woman in my bed so bad before. I’ve never wanted to keep her there. My secret is most of the women I’ve been with have been flings.”
“Fuck ’em and forget ’em,” she says.
“Not as crude as that. I respect women. Appreciate their wants and desires as much as mine, but never more than once.”
“But I’m different?” she whispers.
I lean in close, kiss her forehead. “I’m not sure if I’ll ever get enough.”
It’s the truth. and not only did I reveal this to Sadie, but to myself as well.
The waitress brings our meals and we chat about anything and everything. Football, Montana winters, food options in New York, favorite vacations.
Sadie excuses herself to the ladies’ room as I pay the check. I wait for her.
Ten minutes pass. She should be back by now.
I cut through the restaurant to the bathrooms.
I halt at the start of the back hallway. Sadie’s standing there, a guy crowding her in.
“Come on, a pretty lady like you?” the man says, his voice slurred.
I see red. The guy’s crowding her into the wall and she seems so small and fragile trapped by the big guy.
“Step back, please.” Her voice is loud and clear.
It’s not a tone of voice she uses with me. More authoritarian, like a teacher or a…yeah, a law enforcement officer. But she’s not wearing a uniform and she doesn’t have her gun or badge at her hip. Tonight she’s just a woman.
My woman. She’s with me, and she’s mine to protect.
I don’t wait a second longer to intervene.
I approach, slap the man on the shoulder.
“Hey! What’s—”
“Thanks for keeping my girl company for me,” I say. “But I think she just told you to step back.”
I want to bash his nose in and toss the guy behind a dumpster, but this is small-town life and I want to be welcomed back to the restaurant. I also don’t want to taint our date with violence or anything that might involve paperwork on Sadie’s part.